We have a new date for our author visit with Adam Courtenay launching his latest book Three Sheets to the Wind: Why a motley crew of merchant seamen walked 600 miles to save 7,000 gallons of rum at  Cowra Library on Thursday 29 September at 2pm, and Orange City Library from 5.30pm to 7pm.  The date was changed from 22 September due to the Queen’s Memorial Public Holiday. 

When in 1796, Calcutta-based Scottish merchants Campbell & Clark dispatched an Indian ship hurriedly renamed the Sydney Cove to the colony of New South Wales, they were hoping to make their fortune. But when the Sydney Cove went down north of Van Dieman’s Land, cargo master William Clark and sixteen other crew members were compelled to walk 600 miles to Sydney Town to get help to save the rest of the crew and the precious goods. Assisted by at least six Indigenous clans on his journey, Clark saw far more country than Joseph Banks ever did, and his eventual report to Governor Hunter led to far-reaching consequences for the colony. And the rum? Find out more about this true story when Adam is our guest at Orange City Library. Please book your place online for Cowra or call us on 6340 2180, or Orange City Library online or call 6393 8132. 

It is History Week and Central West Libraries is celebrating the theme Hands on History with the success of Recollect Central West – a digital platform where collections can be shared online.

Statistics show a total of 7,558 items including 767 documents and 6,646 photographs are on the Recollect site and there have been more than half a million hits since the March launch!!!!

The Top 10 items viewed were:

1. CWD Negatives
2. Orange & District Historical Society
3. Tourist Hotel
4. Construction of Orange Olympic Pool
5. Summer Street
6. Emmco Cadet Engineer
7. Maps and Plans
8. Celebrating Orange 75 years of Orange as a city and 175 years of Orange as a village
9. [email protected]
10. Orange Small Schools Association presents 2013 OSSA Schools Spectacular Mamma Mia, Not Another Musical

The community can register with the site, become a member, and contribute photos, stories and memories about the Central West as well as update information about who is in a photo or where it was taken. Or they can just search the site. Visit Recollect at https://centralwest.recollect.net.au/ It is a free community resource.

Snuggling up beside the fire with a good book is one of winter’s pleasures. Be inspired by our incredible guest authors at this year’s festival.

Enjoy a lively program of non-fiction and fiction authors with Robert Tickner, Helen Ennis, Petronella McGovern, Michael Brissenden and Todd Alexander at this intimate Readers and Writers Festival to be held at the Hotel Canobolas on Saturday 6th August coinciding with the Winter Fire Festival.  Tickets $75 before 8 July, $95 after and include morning tea and lunch. Please note the History Writing Workshop with Rebecca Wilson author of Kate Kelly: the true story of Ned Kelly’s Little Sister is booked out.   

Be quick – book your place: Orange Readers and Writers Festival

A heart-warming tale about an unlikely hero, Cooper Not Out by Justin Smith, is the Central West Libraries ‘One Library One Book’ community read this winter, and readers have the chance to meet the author. The innovative community reading program encourages everyone in the region to read and discuss the same book at the same time in Orange, Blayney, Canowindra, Cowra, Forbes, Manildra and Molong. Orange City Council’s Services Policy Committee Chair, Councillor Mel McDonell encourages everyone to read the book and share it with friends and family.

Meet Cooper Not Out author Justin Smith on:

• Monday 20 June at Blayney Library 11.30am; or Cowra Library 2.30pm.
• Tuesday 21 June at Forbes Library 1pm; or Orange City Library 5.30pm – 7pm 
• Wednesday 22 June at Molong Library at 11.30am.
• Please book your place online or call your local library. Happy reading!

One of Australia’s most loved forums for literature, ideas and storytelling, Sydney Writers’ Festival will livestream its headline events from Sydney to Orange Regional Gallery on  Friday 20, Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 May 10am to 5pm. 

Prepare to be invigorated and engaged by conversations, debates and discussions featuring some of the worlds’ finest writers. Audiences can also participate in live Q & A sessions at each event, sending questions straight to the Sydney stage.

Join us for SWF Livestream and Local 2022, streamed live by Sydney Writers’ Festival and hosted by Central West Libraries at Orange Regoinal Gallery.

Sessions include Art Spiegelman, Michelle de Kretser and Christos Tsiolkas, Steve Toltz, Melissa Lucashenko, Barrie Cassidy, Sarah Winman, Maxine Beneba Clark and Omar Musa, Damon Galgut, Larissa Behrendt and Paige Clark, Rebecca Sonit, Hannah Marshall, Chris Masters and Kate McClymont, Liane Moriarty and Caroline Overington and David Marr livestreamed to the theatre inside the Gallery.

For the full program visit the www.cwl.nsw.gov.au  and book your place.